Video technology's fine by me - O'Leary

DAVID O'Leary insists he is happy to see video technology introduced for goal-line incidents and penalty shouts - despite the fact that had they been used at Villa Park against Albion his side would surely have fallen to a costly defeat.

DAVID O'Leary insists he is happy to see video technology introduced for goal-line incidents and penalty shouts - despite the fact that had they been used at Villa Park against Albion his side would surely have fallen to a costly defeat.

Bryan Robson was fuming about two crucial handball shouts against Aaron Hughes and Liam Ridgewell but O'Leary, who saw Ridgewell penalised for four penalties in five games earlier in the season, says that the luck balances itself out.

O'Leary is looking for the football authorities to take advantage of television replays which are currently used to good effect in rugby and cricket.

He said: "I'd would love to see video evidence, without a doubt. A few weeks ago, because of the way the games have fallen, we were able to watch a few England rugby games on TV and I thought it worked brilliantly for try scoring incidents where you were able to go to a judge.

"I wouldn't have it for outside the box incidents, or for offsides but anything that was related to goal-scoring chances - the TV people tell me that it can be called up within seconds.

"And when so much is at stake, when a ball crosses the line, I was convinced by it when I saw Tottenham's goal at Manchester United last season. Surely we must start it where a ball crosses the line? The technology is there."

O'Leary says Villa may well have profited from a last minute decision when Nigel Quashie and Neil Clement appeared to sandwich Luke Moore, although replays suggested it was well outside the area.

He said: "It balances itself out over time. I've seen instances where we should have got things. Maybe if the referee had seen the Moore incident, we'd have got a penalty as well. Luke was going nuts in our dressing room over that penalty but I didn't think it was."

The Villa boss continued: "There were scrambles in our box but I didn't think there were any penalties for either side. I can understand Bryan's frustration. He wanted the three points in the bag just like I did."